SwissTech

What SwissTech does

The SwissTech Convention Center (STCC) is a private event venue located on the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) campus in Ecublens, near Lausanne, Switzerland. Inaugurated in April 2014, it operates as part of the EPFL campus ecosystem and hosts events ranging from 40-person meetings to 3,000-attendee international congresses. The center serves international scientific associations (including the Applied Machine Learning Days, IEEE-RAS RoboSoft, Insomni'hack, and the SIDIIEF World Congress), corporate event organizers, EPFL itself (Forum, Investor Day, Magistrale, Welcome Day), and government and quasi-governmental bodies seeking a politically neutral, technology-advanced venue in the Lake Geneva region. STCC has held the Swiss Location Award for Best Congress Center for seven consecutive years (2019–2025) and was a 2018 AIPC Apex Award finalist, positioning it as Switzerland's leading mid-size congress venue.

STCC's core differentiator is its modular architectural system, which combines proprietary Gala Venue technology with retractable wall mechanisms to reconfigure three auditoriums (A, B, C) into a unified 3,000-seat space within minutes. The venue also features a Garden level with five modular rooms (3,460 m² when four are merged), a Campus Foyer with 16-meter ceilings and 1,302 m² of reception space, and a Cloud Foyer for networking. Sustainable building systems — geothermal heating/cooling and Grätzel dye-sensitized photovoltaic cells integrated into the western facade — support an active ESG program. Audio-visual infrastructure, a hybrid streaming studio (launched 2021), and a virtual tour platform round out the technical offering. The adjacent SwissTech Village (hotel, restaurants, retail) and EPFL Innovation Park create an integrated event ecosystem that competitors in the region cannot easily replicate.

The business model is B2B direct sales of venue rental and event services, with quote-based pricing that varies by event type, duration, room configuration, capacity, and service scope. Revenue streams include venue rental, audio-visual services, catering coordination, exhibition management, and event management support. Distribution is exclusively direct, primarily through a key account management team (led by Director Lena Perrenoud), the website's quote request form, and inbound referrals from recurring clients. STCC reports no public revenue figures; headcount is in the 11–50 range.

Name

SwissTech

Legal name

SWISSTECH CONVENTION CENTER

Website

https://stcc.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SwissTech Convention Center is a private event venue on the EPFL campus in Ecublens, Switzerland, hosting international congresses, scientific conferences, corporate seminars, and galas for 40 to 3,000 attendees using proprietary modular architecture and integrated streaming capabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention and Event Venue Services

akta.pro primary industry

Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Convention Campus & District Operators (Integrated Venue Districts) (THAHAAAL)

Keywords

• Convention venue services
• Modular auditorium rentals
• Corporate event hosting
• Hybrid event streaming
• Exhibition space rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Ecublens

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental and Event Services: The SwissTech Convention Center generates revenue primarily through rental of its venue spaces (auditoriums, meeting rooms, foyer spaces) and associated event services including audio-visual equipment, catering coordination, exhibition management, event planning support, and security/transportation services. Revenue is project-based per event, with pricing varying by room configuration, duration, service scope, and capacity requirements. The center hosts congresses, conferences, seminars, assemblies, gala evenings, and digital/hybrid events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SwissTech Convention Center is a modular convention and event venue on the EPFL campus in Ecublens, Switzerland, offering three convertible auditoriums (A, B, C) that can merge into a single 3,000-seat space via proprietary Gala Venue technology and retractable walls. The center sells venue rental together with integrated event services including audio-visual, catering coordination, exhibition management, hybrid event streaming, and full event management support for corporate, scientific, and association clients.

Product overview

The SwissTech Convention Center is a single-venue convention center offering rather than a platform-plus-modules software product. Its core offering is the physical convention center facility in Lausanne, Switzerland, featuring three convertible auditoriums (A, B, C) that can merge into a combined ABC space accommodating up to 3,000 attendees, plus 1-20 configurable rooms across Garden and Campus floors. The venue is distinguished by its Gala Venue technology enabling rapid space reconfiguration. Supporting services include Audio Visual, Catering, Exhibition Services, Event Management, and Key Account Management. Additional offerings include Virtual Tour capabilities for remote space exploration and a Streaming Studio for hybrid events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SwissTech Convention Center Venue A premier convention center in Lausanne, Switzerland, offering modular event spaces accommodating from 40 to 3,000 attendees. Features three convertible auditoriums (A, B, C), 1–20 configurable rooms, and flexible space configurations enabled by Gala Venue technology, available for booking by event organizers.
• Auditorium A The main auditorium featuring integrated state-of-the-art technologies with full modularity and adaptability. Can be configured for conferences, flat or cabaret layouts for gala dinners up to 900 people, and combined with Auditorium B for catering space for over 1,100 people.
• Auditorium ABC Combined Configuration Combined configuration of auditoriums A, B, and C merged via retractable walls and Gala Venue technology. Creates a unified space accommodating up to 3,000 people in optimal conditions.
• Garden Level Spaces Floor with 5 large modular rooms and adjoining foyer. Using sliding wall system, four rooms can open completely to offer 3,460 m2 of exhibition or dining space. Features bay windows and skylights for natural lighting.
• Campus Foyer
• Cloud Foyer Comfortable and exclusive networking and dining space adjacent to Auditorium C. Accommodates 300 people in a cocktail configuration.
• Audio Visual Services Comprehensive audio-visual equipment and services for events, including state-of-the-art integrated technologies in all auditoriums.
• Catering Services Event catering services offering diverse dining options for conferences, gala dinners, cocktail receptions, and other event formats.
• Exhibition Services Exhibition space management and support services, utilizing the center's 3,000 m2 of exhibition space when auditoriums open onto the Campus Foyer.
• Event Management Services Professional event management including setup, execution, and clearing of events. Services include security, parking, transportation, exhibition management, strategic consulting, program and budget management, and social event concept and management.
• Streaming Studio Professional streaming studio located at the heart of EPFL campus, enabling hybrid and virtual event capabilities for organizers.
• Key Account Management Dedicated account management for key clients, providing personalized event planning support and coordination.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% carbon footprint reduction per event since 2023
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CEC Suisse (Convention des Entreprises pour le Climat)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025STCC was one of the first 5 organizations to join the CEC Suisse climate trajectory program, engaging in a 12-day, 11-month collective sustainability transformation journey alongside 60 companies. Directors Éric Manganel (Operations) and Laura Le Gal (ESG Lead) are participating on behalf of STCC.
• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPFL is the host institution of the SwissTech Convention Center. The center is located on the EPFL campus (Quartier Nord EPFL) and is within a 2-minute walk of the EPFL metro stop. The partnership provides STCC with access to one of Europe's top technical universities, attracting academic conferences, student events, and innovation-focused gatherings. STCC serves as EPFL's primary venue for major campus events including the EPFL Forum, EPFL Investor Day, Magistrale graduation ceremony, and Welcome Day for new students (~3,000 attendees each year).
• ZoomcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe SwissTech Convention Center established a partnership with Zoom to offer integrated hybrid and virtual event capabilities. This partnership enables the center to provide professional streaming and virtual event hosting services using Zoom's platform, complementing the center's on-site AV infrastructure.
• MobilisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SwissTech Convention Center partnered with Mobilis to offer soft mobility solutions to event clients and participants. This partnership supports the venue's sustainability strategy by providing alternatives to car travel for attendees.
• Swiss Triple ImpactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SwissTech Convention Center is listed in the Swiss Triple Impact Directory, a national directory recognizing companies committed to concrete sustainability actions. This is both a recognition and an active partnership for ESG best practice exchange.
• Swiss Tourism — Swisstainable ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SwissTech Convention Center participates in Switzerland Tourism's Swisstainable program at Level II (Committed), integrating with Switzerland's national sustainability tourism ecosystem.
• Net Zero Carbon Events InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SwissTech Convention Center is a signatory of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative, committing to sector-wide carbon reduction collaboration alongside other event industry organizations.
• Pro InfirmisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SwissTech Convention Center partners with Pro Infirmis, a Swiss disability organization, as part of its inclusion and accessibility commitments, ensuring the venue is accessible to people with reduced mobility.
• LMCare (Lausanne Montreux Congress)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SwissTech Convention Center participates in collaborative sustainability research projects via the LMCare network, which brings together Lausanne-Montreux region healthcare and life sciences stakeholders for joint innovation in sustainable event management.
• Fondation ThéodoraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fondation Théodora partnered with the SwissTech Convention Center to host the Healthcare Clowning International Meeting (HCIM) 2026, bringing international delegates to discuss the therapeutic impact of hospital clowns.
• SwissTech VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SwissTech Village is a commercial district adjacent to the STCC at EPFL, including the SwissTech Hôtel, restaurants (Gina Ristorante, Holy Cow!, Migros), retail stores (Salt, Arte Beauty), and services. This ecosystem supports event logistics and attendee experience for STCC clients.
• EPFL Innovation ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EPFL Innovation Park is a startup and corporate innovation hub on the EPFL campus, adjacent to the SwissTech Convention Center. It houses 13 buildings supporting major companies and startups and complements the STCC's role in hosting innovation-focused events.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CCH – Congress Center Hamburg: Larger German congress and exhibition venue serving major international association congresses and corporate events across Northern Europe. Comparable in offering large-scale congress and hybrid event capabilities, with broader geographic reach than STCC.
• Austria Center Vienna: Vienna's flagship congress centre with capacity for several thousand delegates across modular halls. Directly comparable as a European congress venue targeting international associations, scientific bodies, and corporate events.
• MECC Maastricht: Mid-sized European congress and exhibition venue in the Netherlands hosting international conferences and corporate events. Comparable in offering configurable auditoriums and hybrid event infrastructure for association and corporate clients.

Direct peers

• Centre International de Conférences Genève (CICG): Geneva-headquartered international conference centre serving associations, NGOs, and scientific organizations — the natural substitute venue for many of the international congresses STCC targets (e.g., EUCLID, SIDIIEF). Operates at similar tier in the same Swiss Lake Geneva corridor.
• Congress Center Basel: Major Swiss congress venue operated alongside Messe Basel, hosting international medical, scientific, and association congresses. Directly comparable in scale, Swiss location, and congress-association target market to STCC.
• Kongresshaus Zürich: Zurich's principal convention and congress venue, comparable in mix of corporate seminars, association meetings, and gala events. Competes for the same Swiss association and corporate segments served by STCC.
• Davos Congress (WCF venue and infrastructure): High-end Swiss congress infrastructure operator hosting the World Economic Forum and other elite international events. Comparable as Switzerland-based venue for prestigious international congresses, leveraging neutrality and premium positioning.
• Kursaal Bern: Swiss convention and event venue that shared first place with STCC in the 2024 Swiss Location Award with a 9.4/10 score. Directly comparable as a competing Swiss congress center targeting similar corporate, association, and gala segments.

Regional players

• Palazzo dei Congressi Lugano: Ticino-based Swiss congress venue serving primarily Italian-speaking Swiss and northern Italian markets. Comparable offering in modular halls and association congresses, but located in a different Swiss linguistic region than STCC.
• Palexpo Geneva (Geneva Palexpo): Geneva-based exhibition and congress complex hosting trade fairs and large conventions in the same Swiss Romandie market. Comparable as a competing venue for trade shows and large association events, primarily serving the Geneva catchment area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCF8t1nBLcLJlWS0CfynVdig
• Facebookfacebook.com/SwissTechConventionCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swisstech-convention-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/swisstech.convention.center
• Xx.com/swisstech_epfl

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SwissTech